The Facts of Life (TV Series)

Fear Strikes Back (1981)

Charlotte Rae: Edna Garrett

Photos 

Quotes 

• Edna Garrett : [Natalie comes in with her jacket torn]  Natalie!

  Blair Warner : What happened?

  Natalie Green : I was coming home and I knew it was late, so I was hurrying. I wasn't far, Mrs. Garrett. I was almost home!

  Blair Warner : Natalie, what happened?

  Natalie Green : A man grabbed me and I tried to scream, but he covered my mouth!

  Edna Garrett : My God!

  Natalie Green : He pushed me down and he was holding me down. And all of a sudden, I heard people's voices. He must've heard them too because he got up and ran away. Mrs. Garrett, if those people hadn't passed by... Mrs. Garrett, I was almost home!

• Self-Defense Instructor : You see me coming, you sense something's wrong, what's the first thing you do?

  Edna Garrett : Pray.

  Self-Defense Instructor : Okay, then what?

  Edna Garrett : Run.

  Self-Defense Instructor : Right! Run like hell! And?

  Edna Garrett : Scream.

  Self-Defense Instructor : That's right, but don't just scream. Scream 'fire!' That will get people's attention.

  Edna Garrett : Fire!

  Self-Defense Instructor : That's right, again!

  Edna Garrett : Fire!

  Self-Defense Instructor : Louder!

  Edna Garrett : FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!

  Self-Defense Instructor : Very good, Mrs. Garrett, very good.

• Edna Garrett : Girls, I have to talk to you. Something's happened in town. You all know Mrs. King?

  Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey : Sure, the headmaster's secretary.

  Edna Garrett : Yeah, well, this evening on her way to her car, a man attacked her. She was raped.

• Edna Garrett : I don't want you girls to panic about this situation. The school is taking every possible precaution.

  Jo Polniaczek : Yeah, that's why all those workmen were here this morning. They're installing alarms.

  Edna Garrett : You're telling me. I didn't realize those things were so sensitive. I slammed the refrigerator door this morning and bells started ringing, I thought I'd won the "Secret Square."

  Blair Warner : But will alarms be enough?

  Edna Garrett : Oh, it's not just alarms, Blair. They're arranging for closed circuit television, electric gates...

  Jo Polniaczek : I know all about these precautions. They may keep a few people out, but mostly, they lock people in.

• Blair Warner : I've been up almost every night with Natalie this week.

  Jo Polniaczek : We've all been up with her. Those nightmares of hers are getting worse.

  Blair Warner : Maybe she'll feel better once the man is caught.

  Jo Polniaczek : Caught? The chances of finding that creep are zilch.

  Edna Garrett : Jo, the police are doing everything they can.

  Blair Warner : Mrs. Garrett, last night Natalie woke me up to walk her to the bathroom. That's just down the hall!

  Edna Garrett : Blair, a dark hallway can be very threatening after an experience like Natalie's.

• Blair Warner : Natalie has a point. We all bear the burden of being attractive and feminine.

  [looks at Jo] 

  Blair Warner : Well, almost all of us.

  Edna Garrett : Girls, attractiveness is not what these attacks are about.

• Natalie Green : I bet everybody in your town knew everyone else and you never even bothered locking your door.

  Edna Garrett : You're right.

  Natalie Green : And you were never afraid.

  Edna Garrett : Oh I was afraid, especially of the lightning.

  Natalie Green : Lightning has nothing to do with a man coming at you from the bushes.

  Edna Garrett : Of course not, Natalie, but fear is fear. it has to be overcome. Natalie, you don't really wanna hide behind a locked door all your life?

• Edna Garrett : Come with me to the safety class tonight.

  Natalie Green : Why should I?

  Edna Garrett : Because you'll be doing something. You feel helpless, right? Then take some action. Help yourself.

• Edna Garrett : Well, Natalie, what do you think? Does any of this make sense?

  Natalie Green : I guess I should've gone home with the party with the other girls. You know, I had that cane for my Charlie Chaplin costume. Maybe I could've used that.

  Edna Garrett : Maybe. At least it's an option. That's what these classes are giving us.

  Natalie Green : Okay, I've got options, but I'm still afraid.

  Edna Garrett : Natalie, everybody's afraid. These are crazy crazy times, but life is still sweet. Don't let your fear paralyze you. Use it to make you alert, aware and smart.

• Jo Polniaczek : You wanna know something weird? We all must have walked that same street a hundred times. It's right in the middle of town.

  Blair Warner : Do we have to talk about it? Can't we just pretend it didn't happen?

  Edna Garrett : I don't think we can do that, Blair.

  Jo Polniaczek : Face it, Pollyanna. There's a lot of crime around.

  Blair Warner : I know that. I watch Hill Street Blues.

• Edna Garrett : [about the women's safety course]  Defense is part of it. Anybody interested?

  Natalie Green : Not me. I have a silly aversion to being hurled over someone's shoulders.

  Edna Garrett : But who knows? Maybe you'll have a chance to do some hurling.

  Jo Polniaczek : Ah, then count me in!

• Edna Garrett : [to Tootie]  For someone who had such a terrible time, you sure stayed long enough.

  Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey : I would've been home a lot sooner, but my dress is so tight, it took me an hour to hop home.